Omagh: 29 murders, nine years of praying for justice, a £16m detective bill ... and not a single conviction

By Deborah McAleese and Claire McNeilly

There is no end in sight to the grief of the families devastated by the Omagh bomb. Yesterday, almost a decade after Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity, their hopes of justice were dashed once again.

There is no end in sight to the grief of the families devastated by the Omagh bomb. Yesterday, almost a decade after Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity, their hopes of justice were dashed once again.

Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weir was scathing of the police as he cleared Sean Hoey of being responsible for a Real IRA bombing campaign, which included the Omagh massacre in 1998 which claimed 29 lives.

Amid emotional scenes outside court, families of the dead were left stunned and angry but pledged to press ahead with a High Court civil action.

Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, 21, was among the victims, said: " I think it is beyond belief what we have had to put up with this over the last nine and a half years."